St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-01-29
A sIGHTLEsS HERCULES.
The Feats- of the Famous Giant,
yankee Samson.''
He Entertains Passengers In a Rail-
way Car.

The market train which left the Yves
Penn depot yesterday afternoon had on
board abont the merriest blind man thar
ever made his appearance in this neck of the
woods. and he was the cause of making an
immense amount of uproarious fun for the
crowd in the smoking car, says the Pitts
burg Commercial Gazette. He is a giant in
stature, being about six feet three inches in
height, and had massive form, on which
there did not appear to be superfuous
pound OF flesh. He had handsome face
ana commanding presence, too and wore
shining high silk hat and good clothes.
HIS first salutation as he entered the car
gave proof that he was in excellent spirits
| and inclined to be very sociable with any
body ana everybody.
How much money have you?" he asked
Oh tram boy, who came in minute OF
| two later and asked him to buy paper.
Five dollars, said the youngster.
bet you can't show me a nickel. Bet
you 25 cents to you can't
"Oh, don't want to do you," answered
the boy. Il have sure thing"
mo, you haven't. and I'll lust prove
how smart you are. You couldn't show
me mic kel, as I'm blind and couldn't see
| it."
After this sally he took large. old
fashioned purse from his inside coat pocket
and shook it till the silver with which it
was stuffed jngled merrily.
Better put that away" chirped the
train boy. You're liable to get done un.'
NO danger. can take care of myself.
l mad the right kind of an education. Old
Dan Rice was my preceptor Would YOU
steal, boy? You wouldn't? Well, l never
stole anything in my life but a pumpkin,
| and L stole that in the dark and thought it
was watermelon. Oh. tell you I was
raised on buckwheat cakes and fat pork.
| and tell you l feel bully.
In this strain he ratified on to the intense
amusement OF his audience as long as the
reporter remained on the train, and in addi-
ton did very clever sleight-Of-hand trick
with coin, which was truly wonderful for
blind man and would have been credita-
BILE to person who was able to see.
One gentleman was found on the train
who knew the history of the remarkable
man, and this gentleman said
HE calls himself Yankee Samson, and
he is the most powerful man l ever knew.
His INST is as hard as iron. A number of
years ago he travelled with circuses. Dam
Rices among them. giving exhibitions OF
strength. He was so powerful that he used
to have himself lashed to ladder and hold
team of horses which were pulling their
utmost by grasping the double trees at
tached to the traces.
And that was the way he lost his sight.
He was trying to pull against team of
four horses when he burst blood vessel in
his eye and became instantly blind for life.
L saw him one time at Dunbar since he lost
his sight, when he was struck by robust
man who could see as well as anybody. He
caught hold of the man, who was powerIess
in his hands threw him down and would
have killed him if it had not been that sew
eral others interfered and lousened his ter
rible grasp by their united efforts after a
desperate struggle"
Others who knew the man corroborated
this story, and it was learned in addition
that ne makes plenty of money by playing
on the violin and other instruments, and
giving exhibitions of legerdemain in small
towns through the country.